diff --git a/tm1637.py b/tm1637.py
index 0f601f3..747090c 100644
--- a/tm1637.py
+++ b/tm1637.py
@@ -160,11 +160,14 @@ def hex(self, val):
         string = '{:04x}'.format(val & 0xffff)
         self.write(self.encode_string(string))
 
-    def number(self, num):
-        """Display a numeric value -999 through 9999, right aligned."""
+    def number(self, num, zeros=False):
+        """Display a numeric value -999 through 9999, right aligned or with leading zeros"""
         # limit to range -999 to 9999
         num = max(-999, min(num, 9999))
-        string = '{0: >4d}'.format(num)
+        if zeros:
+            string = "{:04d}".format(num)
+        else:
+            string = '{0:>4d}'.format(num)
         self.write(self.encode_string(string))
 
     def numbers(self, num1, num2, colon=True):